A jewellery maker was photographing her pieces on her bed with the overhead light on. Dark shadows, yellow cast, wrinkled sheets in the background. Her pieces were beautiful. The photos made them look cheap. She was losing sales on Instagram because the photography didn’t match the quality of the product.
We fixed it in 20 minutes with her phone and a window.
The basics: light, background, angle
Light
Natural light from a window is the single best lighting source you have. Place your product next to a window during the day. Not in direct sunlight — indirect light from a window gives soft, even illumination without harsh shadows.
If the shadows on the opposite side are too dark, hold a white sheet of paper on that side to bounce light back.
Background
White is safest. A sheet of white paper or card works perfectly. Tape it to a wall so it curves down to the surface — this creates a seamless backdrop with no visible edge.
For lifestyle shots: clean, uncluttered surfaces. A wooden table, a marble counter, a linen cloth. Keep it simple.
Angle
Three angles cover most products:
- Straight on — eye-level, classic product shot
- 45 degrees — slightly above, shows dimension. Best for most products
- Flat lay — directly above, looking straight down. Great for collections and food
Phone settings
- Clean your lens (seriously — fingerprints ruin sharpness)
- Use the main camera, not the ultra-wide or selfie camera
- Tap on the product to focus and adjust exposure
- Turn off flash — always. Phone flash is terrible for product photography
- Use portrait mode for items that benefit from a blurred background
- Shoot in the highest resolution available
Quick editing
After shooting, edit in your phone’s default photo editor or Snapseed (free):
- Increase brightness slightly
- Boost contrast slightly
- Increase sharpness slightly
- Crop tight — remove excess background
- Straighten if tilted
Don’t over-edit. The product should look like it does in person, just well-lit and properly framed.
Good product photos are the difference between a sale and a scroll-past on Instagram or your website. Twenty minutes of setup with your phone beats hours of expensive photography for most small business needs.